What Comprises the Human Genome?

[WizSkinsO's]

Specifically, can someone please let me know what makes up the human genome? And please don't link to Wikipedia or anything...I know what that says and have read it all, but I need it put more into human words.

Thanks in advance.

[cjcdaman]

human words: www.google.com

[Kosher Ham]

Kinda late to be doing your homework isn't it ?

Are you saying you don't understand the work ? Do you need a name for each pair of chromosomes ?

We need detail.

[DCSaints_fan]

Genome = genes.

Genes(DNA) produce RNA which produce proteins.

Proteins have multiple function in organisms, which is difficult to summarize, but they account for much of the variation we see from organism to organism - not just what proteins are produced, but what quantity.

An example would be the protein melanin which determines, among other things, the color of your skin. Very dark skinned people produce alot, fair skinned people produce very little.

There's still alot to be discovered, though. I saw a recent piece on Nature (PBS show), iin which apparently what allows us to have a large cranium relative to other priamtes (and thus, a bigger brain) is actually a defect which make our jaw muscles much weaker. I bet within the next few years they will discover the genes which give you the physique of say, Shaquille O'Neal vs. that of Mugsy Boges :-)

[bcl05]

This may be more than you are looking for, but if you ask a geneticist (me), this is what you get. The semantics of this stuff gets very complicated.

Actually, "genome" is more than just "genes."

Genes are "units of inheritance." Most genes are coded areas of DNA that provide templates (RNA) for the generation of protein. Some (tiny minority) genes do not produce proteins, and have their effect through the RNA itself.

The human genome comprises all of the genetic material within a cell. This includes both the genes itself as well as all the other DNA. The coding genes themselves only account for a tiny fraction of all of the ~3.1 billion base pairs of DNA. It was once taught that the rest of the DNA was "junk" and unimportant, but the more we learn, the more important that all becomes. Variations in the non-coding regions of DNA affect the regulation of genes in all kinds of fascinating ways. Genomic variation can include rearrangement of chromosomes, alterations in the orientation of the chromosomes within the cell's nucleus, alterations of regulatory molecules bound to the DNA ("methylation"), and others that are not specifically based in alterations in the DNA sequence (which would be "genetic" variation).

I hope that made sense, and was helpful.

[LaxBuddy21]

This may be more than you are looking for, but if you ask a geneticist (me), this is what you get. The semantics of this stuff gets very complicated.

Actually, "genome" is more than just "genes."

Genes are "units of inheritance." Most genes are coded areas of DNA that provide templates (RNA) for the generation of protein. Some (tiny minority) genes do not produce proteins, and have their effect through the RNA itself.

The human genome comprises all of the genetic material within a cell. This includes both the genes itself as well as all the other DNA. The coding genes themselves only account for a tiny fraction of all of the ~3.1 billion base pairs of DNA. It was once taught that the rest of the DNA was "junk" and unimportant, but the more we learn, the more important that all becomes. Variations in the non-coding regions of DNA affect the regulation of genes in all kinds of fascinating ways. Genomic variation can include rearrangement of chromosomes, alterations in the orientation of the chromosomes within the cell's nucleus, alterations of regulatory molecules bound to the DNA ("methylation"), and others that are not specifically based in alterations in the DNA sequence (which would be "genetic" variation).

I hope that made sense, and was helpful.

This....basically its all the instructions to make you who you are.

[PeterMP]

Genes(DNA) produce RNA which produce proteins.

Genes nor DNA produce RNA in regular biological processes, and the type of RNA you are talking about (mRNA) does not produce protein.

Genes encode for RNA via a process called transcription and mRNAs encode for proteins via a process called translation. The genes nor mRNA are "active" in the production of RNA or proteins.

**EDIT** bcl05 gave a good answer.